Ashton Welch, Gentle 'Foe of Injustice,' Dies at 68

Ashton W. Welch, an associate professor of history and longtime director of Creighton University's black-studies program, died unexpectedly in his sleep on August 14. He was 68; the cause of death was not specified.

Among the things left in his office were syllabus notes for the three courses he was going to teach this fall. "We all felt Ashton was the heart and soul of the department," said Elizabeth R. Elliot-Meisel, chair of history.

Mr. Welch began teaching at the Jesuit university in 1971 and led its black-studies program, an interdepartmental effort that he helped found in 1975, until his death.

"He was a passionate foe of injustice of all sorts," said Bette Novit Evans, a professor emeritus of political science at Creighton, "but it didn't give him a hard edge."...